Alstroemeria plant named ‘Davina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Davina’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; vigorous growth habit; salmon pink and yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Davina’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAlstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, growntypically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Davina’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Chichester, England. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact potted garden Alstroemeriacultivars that have attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Chichester, England in June, 2000, of a proprietaryselection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number T10, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeriahybrida selection identified as code number 465/1, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inChichester, England in May, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria by tissue culture in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Chichester, England since October,2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Alstroemeria has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Davina’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Davina’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAlstroemeria:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Sturdy and strong plants.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Large salmon pink and yellow-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants ofthe female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are more compact than plants        of female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of female parent selection have        lilac pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are more compact than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have smaller flowers than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have pale orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of theAlstroemeria hybrida ‘Natalie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,801.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chichester, England, plants ofthe new Alstroemeria differed from plants of ‘Natalie’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1 Plants of the new Alstroemeria had larger flowers than plants        of ‘Natalie’.    -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Natalie’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Natalie’ had red and white-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Alstroemeria plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Alstroemeria plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Davina’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersof ‘Davina’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown inChichester, England during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in16-cm containers. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C. Plants used forthe photographs and description had been growing for six months. Colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Davina’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code No. T10, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria            hybrida identified as code No. 465-1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Fleshy; color, close to 155A.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; dense.        -   Rhizome description.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About            6 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close            to 155A.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Compact and mounded; freely branching, bushy            appearance. Sturdy and strong plants; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 27 cm.-   Stem description:    -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Internode length.—About 0.2 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 146C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single            whorl; sessile.        -   Length.—About 5 cm to 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm to 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A; venation,            close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137B; venation, close to 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in            compound umbels. Flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.            Perianth segments separate. Freely flowering habit; about            five to twelve flowers per inflorescence; about 120 flowers            develop per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from the late            spring until frost in The Netherlands.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two to three weeks on            the plant; about one to two weeks as a cut flower; flowers            not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 34A; towards the apex, close            to 143B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 6 cm.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each            whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner            perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.5 cm. Width,            lateral segments: About 1.6 cm. Length, median segment:            About 5 cm. Width, median segment: About 1.6 cm. Size, outer            perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.5 cm. Width,            lateral segments: About 3 cm. Length, median segment: About            6 cm. Width, median segment: About 3 cm. Shape, inner            perianth, lateral and median segments: Lanceolate. Shape,            outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate. Apex,            inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Acute. Apex,            outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Embedded point.            Base, inner perianth, lateral and median segments:            Attenuate. Base, outer perianth, lateral and median            segments: Cuneate. Margin, inner perianth, lateral and            median segments: Entire. Margin, outer perianth, lateral and            median segments: Slightly crenate. Texture, inner and outer            perianths, lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, inner perianth: When opening, lateral and median            segments, upper surface: Close to 14C; towards the apex,            close to 51A; stripes, close to 184A. When opening, lateral            and median segments, lower surface: Close to 16B; towards            the apex, close to 51B; stripes, close to 177B. Fully            opened, lateral and median segments, upper surface: Close to            16C; towards the apex, close to 51D; stripes, close to 177B.            With development, color becoming closer to between 14C and            16C. Fully opened, lateral and median segments, lower            surface: Close to 16D; towards the apex, close to 51B;            stripes, close to 177D. Color, outer perianth: When opening,            lateral and median segments, upper surface: Close to 51B;            mid-section, close to 51A. When opening, lateral and median            segments, lower surface: Close to 54B; stripes, close to            144A. Fully opened, lateral and median segments, upper            surface: Close to 48C; mid-section, close to 48B. With            development, color becoming closer to 51B. Fully opened,            lateral and median segments, lower surface: Close to 53A;            stripes, close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 15° C. from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.            Anther shape: Oval. Anther size: About 4 mm by 7 mm. Anther            color: Close to N163C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 15C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 3.5 cm. Style length: About 2.9 cm.            Style color: Close to 11C. Stigma color: Close to 50B. Ovary            color: Close to 143B.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Color:            Close to 144A.        -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Alstroemeria.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain    and temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about 25° C.

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Davina’ as illustrated and described. 